“Graffiti remains vandalism in the state of California,” said Michael Giorgino, spokesman for Goldsmith. “Under the law, there is no First Amendment right to deface property, even if the writing is easily removed, whether the message is aimed at banks or any other person or group. We are, however, sympathetic to the strong public reaction to this case and the jury’s message.”

Olson said he called his mother in Oregon immediately after the verdict with the news. She told him she was nervous about the outcome and cried tears of joy.

“I’m really relieved,” Olson said. “It’s been an incredibly stressful situation. It feels really good to know that the people of San Diego as represented by the jury are on my side.”

“I would write what I was thinking that day,” Olson said after the verdict, describing his writings. “Matthew 21:12, the Bible verse where Jesus kicks the bankers out of the temple. Sometimes I would write, ‘No thanks, big banks,’ sometimes ‘Shame on B of A.’ Then I started to get more creative. Sometimes it was hideous octopus tentacles grabbing at dollar bills.

“I’m not much of an artist, but sometimes it’s fun to play with chalk just like kids do.”

Olson said one of his goals was to persuade the public to join local, nonprofit credit unions, rather than keeping their cash in giant national banks.

The jury deliberated for about 2 hours on Friday afternoon and again on Monday morning.

Olson theoretically faced jail time of 1 year and a fine of $1,000 for each count if convicted. The idea of 13 years in custody was a potential penalty widely mocked in the national media, even though prosecutors said incarceration of any sort is rare in vandalism cases, nevermind anything over a year.

Before dismissing the jury and thanking them for their service, the judge chided media reports that highlighted the “completely unrealistic” jail sentence of 13 years.

Potential jurors last week questioned whether the city should be spending taxpayer money bringing charges against someone who plied his activism using something that can be washed away with a hose. An unscientific U-T reader poll with more than 1,000 respondents found that more than 90 percent thought Olson should not be prosecuted.